Timing device for conveyers



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TIMING DEVICE Fon coNvEYEfRs INVENToR v mA/WZXO/V y 7 ATI' NEYS Filed oct.. 12. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ./VURMWLYUN BY 'yu gw A RNEYS Patentedv (let.l 6,; 1942 TIMING DEVICE FOR CONVEYERS Norman W. Lyon, Sprlngeld, Mass., assilnor to Package Machin ery Company,

Mass., a corporatlono! Massachusetts Application October 12, 1940,\Serial No. 360,896

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-22) This invention relates to an improved timing mechanism for conveyers. In particular, it relates to such a mechanism for use with conveyers in which a stream of similar articles is carried along by frictional engagement between the ar ticles and the conveyer to a machine or other device for handling separately either single articles or a number of the articles in groups. One example of such a machine and associated conveyer is the bottle hooding machine which forms the subject matter of my copending application for Bottle hcoding machine," Serial No. 267,459,

filed April 12, 1939. The subject matter of the present invention represents an improvement over the timing mechanism disclosed in said aforementioned case and, for purposes of illustration only, is shown in commotion with the conveying system of said earlier case. The applicability of the present device to other machines and mechanisms will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art once its principles of operation are understood.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved timing device for arresting the forward motion ofthe leading one of a series of containers being carried by a conveyer, and then releasing said container so that it may be carried forward by the conveyer in timed relation to the receiving member of the handling machine. Another purpose is to provide a timing device which may be readily operated at high speeds in conjunction With high speed container handling machines. An additional purpose is to provide a timing device which can be used equally well with containers of diierent diameterswithout adjustment of the timing device itself. A further purpose is to provide a timing device in which the forward motion of the leading container is. arrested by contact with a gate member which is released, in order to permit the container to proceed, by a .periodically operated swinging latch, the latch being effective to release the gate member only when a container is in abutting relation to the gate member, the latch member itself in w no way contacting the container, thereby prevent- 4 ing danger of breakage in cases where fragile containers are used. An additional purpose is to clear from the following disclosure of the preferred way to practice the invention as set forth in the speciilcation and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing generally the improved timing mechanism arranged for operation with the conveyer of the bottle hooding apparatus referred to above, a portion only of the bottle hooding machine being shown;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the timing device on an enlarged scale and shows a zoritainer about to bel stopped by the gate memer; v Fig. 3 is an elevation of the parts of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 4 to 6 are views showing the successive positions of the operating members oi.' Fig. 2 as a container is rst halted and then released so that it may proceed into the machine in proper timed relation.

Referring to Fig. 1, I0 is a central shaft extending upwardly from the base I I of the bottle hooding machine of the type shown in the application referred to. Keyed to a sleeve I2 surrounding shaft I 0 is a yoke I3 having a pair of arms I4. To each arm is pivoted as at IE one end of a lever I6 having secured to its opposite end in any suitable manner a bottle elevating stool I6. Intermediate its ends, each arm I l is provided with a boss I'I having a hole therein through which extends a Journal pin I8 to which is attached in any suitable manner a roller I9.

These rollers I9 roll in a cam track 20 formed in tioned pending application, yoke I3 is rotated at to raise and provide a timing device in which a container is arrested by a. gate member which, when unlocked,

is move-d to permit passage of the container by means of the container itself as differentiated from devices in which the container is positively moved by the gate member, thus further minimizing the danger of breakage due to jamming lof containers. 'Ihe foregoing and other purposes will be a constant speed around shaft I0 to carry the rollers around the cam track 20, and this cam track is shaped to cause the levers I6 to be pivoted upwardly and downwardly around pivots I5 lower the stools I6.

Mounted symmetrically around shaft I Il and in line with therespective stools is a pair of bottle hooding heads not shown. These rotate in unison with the stools I6' and a bottle placed on 5 a stool in the lowered position of the stool is raised up into the head and then lowered, the head acting during this motion of the bottle to place a hood over its mouth.

Bottles 24 and 24' are delivered to the machine in a continuous stream by the constantly operating conveyer arranged'to carry the bottles along .impositively on a' series of plates 26, the bottles passing betweenv a pair of guide rails 2l and 28. Attached to the outer rail 28 as by bolts 29, see Fig. 3, is my novel timing mechanism which includes a gate member in the form of a star wheel 30 protruding into the channel formed by the rails 21 and 28. This star wheel. as will bev explained in detail, is arranged -to halt the rst bottle 'of the line carried in the conveyer until the proper time and then release that bottle so that it can then becarried forward into the machine where it will be engaged byv a sweep 3l. This sweep. pushes the bottle along an arcuate guide member 32 and onto one of the stools |67' which at that time will be in proper position to receive the bottle. The bottle is then carried around by the stool and at the same time the` hood placed on the mouth by elevating the bottle into the superposed head, the bottle being discharged from the stool by engagement with arcuate guide 34. Inasmuch as the details of the operation ofthe bottle hooding machine are the subject matter of the application above re-v ferred to it is believed that the foregoing de scription will suflce for a general understanding of the machine for the purposes of the present invention.

Referring toV Figs. 2 to 6, the timing mecha--` nism includes, in addition to the star wheel 30, a swinging arm 38 carrying a pawl 39 for holding the star wheel inthe position of Fig. 4 against the pressure of a bottle 24 carried by the conveyer, and a synchronizing lever 49 and synchronizing latch 4l for engaging the pawl and periodically releasing the star wheel for rotation as in Fig. 6 to thereby permit the bottle of Fg. 4 to be carried into the machine. To this end,.the star wheel 30 is xed in any suitable manner to a stub shaft 45 mounted for rotation in the frame 46 of the mechanism. l`Also xed to shaft 45 and between the wheel and the frame is a fourtoothed ratchet wheel 41. v

One end 48 of pawl 39, as indicated, cooperates with the teeth on the ratchet wheel, the pawl itself being pivotally carried between ears 49 formed by bifurcating one end of the swinging arm 39. Between the ears, arm 39 is provided with a pair of abutments 59 and 5i. permitting pawl 39 to have a limited rocking motion. A spring 52 biases the pawl against abutment 5l. At the end opposite to that carrying pawl 39, arm` 38 is bifurcated and is loosely pivoted by ears 53 to a shaft 55 which is likewise loosely journaled in a boss 55 formed in the frame.

synchronizing lever 40 is xedly attached to shaft 55 between the ends 53 of arm 39 and has attached to one of its outwardly extending armsA 58 one end of a spring 59 which' is connected at its other end to the larm 39 to bias the pawl 39 against the ratchet.

The opposite end of synchronizing lever 40 car-V ries the synchronizing latch 4I, the latch being pivotally mounted between the earsA 6I of the bifurcated end of the lever as at 52. Between the ears 6| and on one side of the pivot pin 62 is provided an adjustable abutment in the form of abolt 53 threaded through the body of the lever and held in adjusted position by a lock nut 64. At the opposite side of pin $2 is a compression spring which biases one end of the latch against the end ofbolt 63.. The opposite end of the latch is hook shaped as at 66 and is arranged to engage at certain times vwith a similar hook shaped end 61 on pawl 39. A lever 19 is iixedly attached to the lower end of shaft 55 and is given a periodic reciprocation by means of a link 1I connected to `a 'swinging arm 13 pivoted to one end of theframe 15 of the machine and having at itsopposite end a roller 11 bearing against a cam 18. This cam 19 is driven vin timed relation to the bottle hooding mechanism and the motion imparted to lever 19 through the link 1| results in synchronizing lever 40 being reciprocated to and away from the guide rail 2l periodically from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 4.

With the bottle hooding machine in operation the timing device functions as follows. The star wheel is left by a passing bottle 24 in the position -of Fig. 2. The spring 52 holds the pawl 39 rocked against the abutment 5I while the spring 59 pulls the swinging arm 39 in a clockwise direction so that the end of the pawl 39 rests against the ratchet wheel 41. At this time the synchronizing lever 40 is in the process of beingreciprocated periodically by the cam 19 (see Figs. 1 to 3), but due to the fact that pawl 39 is rocked as shown the hooked-shaped ends 43 and 51 of the latch 4I and pawl 39 will not become engaged.

When the next bottle 24' is brought up by the conveyer the added pressure causes the star wheel to turn as indicated in Figs. 2 to 4, and to cause one of the ratchet teeth to engage with end 49 of the pawl 39. Further movementfof the bottle then causes the pawl to be rocked about its pivot on swinging arm 39 and against the force of spring 52 until it rests against abutn ment 59 (Fig. 4). 'When the pawl is in this last position the star wheel is locked against further rotation and the bottle is halted on the conveyer as in Figs. 4 and 5. Assuming, as is indicated in Fig. 4,' that the synchronizing lever 49, whichv is constantly being reciprocated, is so positioned that the engaging surface 19 of the hook-shaped end 56 of latch 4I is beyond the complementary surface of pawl 39, the latch 4I will be rocked slightly away from bolt 63 on its pivot 52. 'I'hen as the synchronizing lever moves toward ythe guide rail 28, the hook-shaped ends 56 and 91 will be forced past each other until the position of Fig. 5 is reached.

When the synchronizing lever again moves away from the rail 28, the surfaces 19 and Il of the latch 4I and pawl 39 will engage, the synchronizing lever 49 then acting to rotate the swinging arm 38 around its pivot on shaft 55. This disengages the end 49 of the pawl 39 from the teeth on the ratchet wheel, leaving the star wheel 30 free to be turned by the bottle which, because of the conveyer, is constantly pressing on the wheel.

As inspection of Fig. 3 will show, the cam 1I is arranged to provide for a rapid out and in movement of the synchronizing lever 49 with a relatively long period of dwell at the"in" position. Therefore by the time the bottle 24' has moved the wheel 30 through but a small angle of rotation from the position of Fig. 5 the lever 49 will have returned to its in" position. Thus in Fig. 6 the lever has already started to return to its in position and the end 49 of .the pawl rests on the periphery of the ratchet wheel just beyond the tooth with which it was engaged in Fig. 5. On continued motion of the lever to its most inward position, the latch and pawl will become disengaged and the pawl will rock to the position of Fig. 2 against abutment 5I under the influence of spring 52. As will be clear, the bottle 24 in passing on into the bottle hooding machine will turn the star wheel once more to the position of Fig. 2 in winch position it will remain until the next bottle comes along and the above cycle is repeated.

Where, as is the usual case. a continuous stream of bottles is being fed to the machine. as

v indicated in Fig. 5, the timing of the synchronizing lever and conveyer is'preferably arranged so ingly smooth.

On the other hand, if the timing device is asassociated with a machine which handles bottles in groups, for instance two at a time, all that needs be done to properly time a pair of bottles is to change the drive to the synchronizing lever Ylil so that it is eiective to hold the pawl 39 disengaged from the ratchet wheel long enough for two bottles to pass i along the conveyer. Oi.' course in such a case, the end 48 ofthe pawl wouldassume the position shown in Fig. 6 when the second bottle of the pair was in the position of bottle 24' of that gure.

Furthermore, if, as is frequently the case, it is desired to run larger or smaller bottles through the machine no adjustment of the star wheel is necessary. All that needs be done is to provide for adjusting the inner side rail Z8 laterally as indicated by the bolt 90 and slotted connection 9| for the rail support 92, see Fig. 1. I claim:

1. In combination with mechanism for operating on containers, a conveyer to feed containers to said mechanism, means for releasing said containers singly, `each in ti'med relation to a cyclic operation of said mechanism for delivery by the conveyer to said mechanism, said means comprising a stop member for said containers as fed by said conveyer and having a stopping position blocking movement of containers by said conveyer and normally movable out of said stopping position by movement of containers along the conveyer, means movable intoV engagement with the stopping member and tending to normally hold said stop member in its's'topping position, a, releasing member having a periodic movement in mounted latch piece on said holding member, said latch pieces being positioned for mutual engagement by engagement oi a container with said stop member.

3. In combination with mechanism for operating on containers, a channel for guiding con.

tainers to said machine, a conveyer to move containers along said channel, means for timing the delivery of each separate container to the mechanism in relation to the cyclic operation of said mechanism, said means comprising a pivoted stop member mounted adjacent the channel and protruding into said channel for engagement with the containers and for rotation around the pivot by movement of the containers along said channel to release said container, holding means re-. leasably engageable with said stop member to'v prevent rotation of said member, 'a releasing member having a periodic movement in and out of a connectible position with respect to said holding member and in timed'relation to the operation of said mechanism for disengaging said holding and stop members, and means for connecting said releasing member to said holding member, theaction of said connecting means being determined by the engagement of a container with said stop membe 4. In combination with mechanism for operating on containers, a conveyer to feed containers and out of a connectible position with respect to said holding member, and means for connecting said releasing member to said holding member for releasing the latter from engagement with the stop member, the action of said connecting means being determined by the engagement of a container with said stop member.

2. In combination with a mechanism for operating .on containers, a conveyer to feed containers to said mechanism, means for releasing said containers singly, each in timed relation to a` cyclic operation of said mechanism for delivery by `theconveyer to said mechanism, said means comprising a stop member for said containers as fed by said conveyer and having a stopping position blocking movement 'of containers by said conveyer and normally movable out of said stopping position by movement of containers along the conveyer, means movable into engagement with the stopping member and tending to normally hold said stop member in its stopping position, a releasing member having a periodic movement in and out of a connectible position with respect to said holding member, and means for connecting said releasing member to said holding member for releasing the latter from 4 engagement with the stop member, said connecting means comprising a yieldably mounted latch piece on said releasing member and a yieldably to said. machine, timing mechanism associated with said conveyer to release containers singly, each in timed relation to a cyclic operatlon'of said mechanism for delivery to said mechanism,

said timing mechanism comprising a rst androtatable container-releasing means operated by.

movement of the container towards the mechanism, a second means to releasably engage said rst named means and stop its rotation, and a third means operated in timed relation to the mechanism to engage the second named means and then move said second means out of engagement with the first named means, said third named means being rendered effective to engage the second named means .solely by the engagement of a'container with the rst named means.

5 In combination with mechanism for` operating on containers, a pair of guide rails forming a channel for guiding containers to said mechanism, a conveyer to move containers along said channel and in a horizontal plane, a frame carried on one of said guide rails, a star wheel pivoted on a vertical axis on said frame and located so that as the wheel is rotated its points successivelyoverlie said channel for engagement by successive containers moving along the channel, a ratchet wheel mounted on said axis and in xed Vrelation to said wheel, a swinging arm pivoted to said frame adjacent said star wheel for swinging movement to and from the pivot for said star wheelI a pawl carried by said swinging arm and arranged to releasably engage the ratchet wheel and hold the star wheel against rotation, a synchronizing lever pivoted to said frame for reciprocation to and from the pawl, means to reciprocate said lever in timed relation to the mechanism, latching means on the lever and latching means on lthe pawl, normally disengaged, but arranged to engage and rotate the swinging arm about its pivot when the lever is going away from the pawl to thereby disengage the pawl and ratchet wheel, said latches being moved into position for engagement by the engagement of a container with said star wheel Awhen the star wheel is stopped by engagement of the pawl and ratchet.

6. In combination with mechanism for operating on containers, a conveyer for moving containers to said mechanism, a timing device associated with said conveyer to release containers singly each in timed relation to a cyclic operation oi said mechanism for delivery to the mechanism,

y lsaid device comprising a star wheel mounted on cent the star wheel for swinging movement to and from the star wheel, means on the unpivoted v end of said arm and means associated with the star wheel for engagement to lock the star wheel against rotation, yieldable means to force the pivoted arm towards the star wheel to engage said two means, a synchronizing lever mounted for swinging movement to positions respectively the means on the arm tc swing the arm away from the star wheel' and free the star wheel for rotation,'the means on the lever engaging the means on the arm only when a container is in engagement with the star wheel and the star wheel is locked against, rotation.

7 In combination with mechanism for operat.

' ing on containers, a conveyer to i'eed containers adjacent to'and remote from the means on said l arm in periodic relation to the cyclic operation of the mechanism, means on the lever to engage the means on the arm' when the lever is moving to its remote position from its position adjacent impositively to said mechanism, rotating means for engagement with and rotation by successive containers fed by said conveyer, said means being rotated through a definite arc bythe passage of each container, holding means to normally mgage the 'rotating means and limit its rotation, to thereby halt a container, a releasing member having a periodic movement in and out of a connectible position with respect to said holding member and in timed relation to-the mechanism, and means for connecting saidreleasi'ns member to said holding member for releasing the latter from engagement with the rotating member, the action ot said connecting means being determined by the engagement of a container with the rotating member when the rotating member is s'pped by the holding member.

NORMAN W. LYON. 

